Darkness Emergent - LA - Epilogues

THE LAST ROUND

No one had heard from Armando “Nines” Rodriguez in some time, which left his fellow Anarchs very concerned. Taking advantage of visiting parties, Baron Victor Temple dispatched helpful individuals to investigate The Last Round for any sign of Nines.

Upon arrival, everything was quiet at the bar. The intrepid investigators quickly scattered. Some patrolled the outside, some entered the front door, a few leapt through the windows of the second floor, and the remainder searched the abandoned building across the street. It quickly became evident that hunters attacked and killed at least some of Nines’s gang, but Nines likely got away. It also quickly became evident that the hunters left some surprises behind.

As the team in a nearby abandoned building discovered surveillance systems aimed at The Last Round, the team inside the bar triggered a trap, a sprinkler system filled with gasoline. Fire engulfed everything. While many fled for their lives, others sought to preserve some of the bar’s memorabilia. Although the vintage Queen’s “News of the World Tour” poster went up in smoke, one of the team managed to save the signed headshot of Jeremy MacNeil.

Once everyone regrouped on the street, the assembled vampires watched the iconic bar, a landmark for Anarchs that stood for over twenty years, burn towards nothing, leaving only when the sirens of fire trucks began echoing in the distance. Elsewhere, images of many of those vampires were received by computers, their identities sorted into databases with other blank bodies.

NELI G's SALON

Nelli G had a problem. Searching for potential solutions, she sought to better understand the social landscape of the city and all the new visitors, some hailing from as far as Europe and the Mountain of Alamut. Having gathered a group for the evening’s first salon, she led them through a series of activities to get to know one another. What on the surface seemed a simple series of speed dates and interesting questions were a means for the Baron to identify the more interesting, unique, and capable among the visitors who took the time to sit down with her.

These select few were chosen to help with Nelli G’s passion project. Her Nosferatu Fashion Show, the culmination of years of work with Imalia, was in jeopardy. Someone had seen fit to sabotage the event at all levels, stealing signature pieces, makeup, and even the contracts; exclusive distribution rights, and the paperwork for the venue rental itself. The entire production was in jeopardy, Nelli needed help. Those who caught the Baron’s attention received a blue rose, a sign of both her favor, and her trust.

Unbeknownst to the guests that evening, a Camarilla Herald known only as ‘Herald B’ was behind this sabotage. The Herald spent much of the weekend mocking the Baron and throwing aspersions and questions as to the legitimacy of the fashion show, and toward Nelli G’s leadership. But as with most things, she kept her affairs quiet, found those who were worthy of her trust and favor, and set them off to take back what was stolen from her.

Within a mere few hours, everything for the show had been recovered, and Nelli’s allies went even further, taking steps to promote the show, broadcasting it far and wide within Kindred society to bring it the prestige it deserved, setting the stage for a night that nobody would soon forget.

X's SALON

The appointment of a new Baron is a significant event in the Anarch Movement, even more so given the significance of the Santa Monica territory to the Anarchs of Los Angeles. A group of curious kindred gather together to learn more about X, the newly made Baron of Santa Monica, and to learn more about what sort of Baron he would be.

X made it clear from the start he was no despot, challenging the hierarchical thinking of the group. He began by asking his guests to contemplate the role of the most underappreciated of revolutionary tools: the humble brick. A provider of structure and a barrier to invaders, the brick is often a tool of the oppressors, yet when dislodged and propelled, it is a tool for equality. The Anarch Movement, he explained, must not sit idly as a wall, but should fly freely, striking out at all oppressors.

X then sought to test everyone with a group task, arranging a series of playing cards into a predetermined pattern as quickly as possible. With their minds partially freed, many in the group took to disobedience of the rules of the exercise, but X explained this was not the intent. While the Camarilla seeks to stack the deck against the Anarchs, there are some tasks which must be adhered to, such as the Masquerade. Others in the salon found ways to accomplish the goal while taking steps beyond the implied rules, such as working together between teams, or moving their table. This according to X was the true path, subverting the limitations of the status quo in order to accomplish one’s goal.

VICTOR TEMPLE's SALON

Always looking forward, Victor took advantage of the influx of visitors to ask the gathered kindred who had the talent, resources, and drive to help him create a new future for Los Angeles. After explaining what he sought in potential partners, he then instructed them to prepare their best offers to aid the effort, creating a format vaguely similar to an episode of Shark Tank.

The many kindred who heeded the call made their offers: an ambitious Brujah offered to take care of downtown until Nines returned to them, two members of the Executive Board offered some the seats they were targeting on the board of Ducheski & Associates, and an enterprising kindred with transportation influence in Vegas worked with a representative of the Iron Horsemen to offer seamless transport throughout the country. Two representatives of the Limelit Circle made intriguing offers for promotion of Temple of Boom’s artists on the music streaming platform Songify, and for the creation of an online video series called “The Hustle Diaries” that detailed the rise of an up-and-coming star.

After the deals had been struck, or tabled for further consideration, a nervous young man in a suit approached Baron Temple with a message from Fiona, much to everyone’s surprise. Her recording explained that some of the offers had secretly been made on her behalf, and that she looked forward to showing Victor what they can accomplish together if they can put aside their pride. Victor took this news in good humour and sent the young man back to his employer with a message, a greeting, and a little surprise for Fiona.

JASPER'S SALON

Among the residents of Los Angeles, Jasper is known for his independence and need for privacy. Yet on Saturday, he asked for help from the assembled kindred to unlock the secrets of a collection of artifact fragments. A curious group of occultists from among the guests came together to learn what the Nosferatru had been studying.

Begrudgingly accepting the help of his fellow scholars and academics, Jasper brought forth his findings: He showed them pieces of an artifact, found scattered in the most neglected drains, the least inviting tunnels, and every dark and decrepit crevice in between. Together, this inquisitive group of like-minded intellectuals poured over the remnants of an all too-familiar story, stitching the pieces back into something resembling normal chronology.

Together, they uncovered the echo of an Elder’s lasting presence, her simple life haunted by inescapable grief, the Embrace, or both. And as the fragments of the artifact knit themselves together, her story crumbled apart. The cycle of unlife bends to no will, and for a fleeting moment the gathered kindred were reminded of their own looming futures. Of the Labyrinth’s many mysteries, a new one can be put to rest.